IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joreco/v30y2016icp116-130.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Why do some consumers shop in this pharmacy? A cross-check of vulnerable characteristics and store types

Author

Listed:
  • Meng, Jie
  • Layton, Roger
  • Huang, Yimin

Abstract

Research on vulnerable consumers remains unfailing in macromarketing and social marketing. Yet it is unclear how to operationalize the vulnerable consumers by demographics and further to this it is rarely touched how the vulnerable consumers defined by different measures make decision when choosing the place to shop especially in pharmacy retailing sector. The authors conduct a comparative study of variously-defined vulnerable consumers for their shopping store types in an urban Chinese city to investigate how people with distinct backgrounds develop their decision making rules and choose different types of retail pharmacies. This paper casts light on customer heterogeneity associated with different dimensions of vulnerability by using consumer demographics, and indicates that four dimensions of vulnerability exist as cognitive capability, social relations, behaviors, and the institutional protection in health-related sector. These four aspects of vulnerability play a significant role in identifying different shop selection patterns. Findings suggest that efforts to boost store patronage targeting on various consumer groups should have different strategies to reach consumers’ mindsets.

Suggested Citation

  • Meng, Jie & Layton, Roger & Huang, Yimin, 2016. "Why do some consumers shop in this pharmacy? A cross-check of vulnerable characteristics and store types," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 116-130.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:30:y:2016:i:c:p:116-130
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2016.01.015
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698916300133
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jretconser.2016.01.015?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Boote, Jonathan & Telford, Rosemary & Cooper, Cindy, 2002. "Consumer involvement in health research: a review and research agenda," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 213-236, August.
    2. Julie V. Stanton & Deirdre T. Guion, 2013. "Taking Advantage of a Vulnerable Group? Emotional Cues in Ads Targeting Parents," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(3), pages 485-517, November.
    3. Margaret Hogg & Geraint Howells & David Milman, 2007. "Consumers in the Knowledge-Based Economy (KBE): What creates and/or constitutes consumer vulnerability in the KBE?," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 151-158, June.
    4. Brennan, Linda & Zevallos, Zuleyka & Binney, Wayne, 2011. "Vulnerable consumers and debt: Can social marketing assist?," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 203-211.
    5. Brenkert, George G., 1998. "Marketing and the Vulnerable," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(S1), pages 7-20, January.
    6. Scot Burton & Andrea H. Tangari & Elizabeth Howlett & Anna M. Turri, 2014. "How the Perceived Healthfulness of Restaurant Menu Items Influences Sodium and Calorie Misperceptions: Implications for Nutrition Disclosures in Chain Restaurants," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1), pages 62-95, March.
    7. Marie-Eve Lachance, 2014. "Financial Literacy and Neighborhood Effects," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 251-273, June.
    8. Peter Cartwright, 2015. "Understanding and Protecting Vulnerable Financial Consumers," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 38(2), pages 119-138, June.
    9. Jeri Jones & Karen Middleton, 2007. "Ethical Decision-Making by Consumers: The Roles of Product Harm and Consumer Vulnerability," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 70(3), pages 247-264, February.
    10. Srinivas Venugopal & Madhubalan Viswanathan, 2015. "Developing Customer Solutions for Subsistence Marketplaces in Emerging Economies: a Bottom–Up 3C (Customer, Community, and Context) Approach," Customer Needs and Solutions, Springer;Institute for Sustainable Innovation and Growth (iSIG), vol. 2(4), pages 325-336, December.
    11. Jason E. Taylor & Vigdis Boasson, 2014. "Who Buys Fair Trade and Why (or Why Not)? A Random Survey of Households," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 418-430, June.
    12. Babin, Barry J. & Babin, Laurie, 2001. "Seeking something different? A model of schema typicality, consumer affect, purchase intentions and perceived shopping value," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 54(2), pages 89-96, November.
    13. James Binkley, 2013. "Prices Paid in Grocery Markets: Searching Across Stores and Brands," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(3), pages 465-484, November.
    14. Shruti Gupta & Julie Pirsch, 2015. "The BOP consumer's ethical evaluation of target marketing," Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(4), pages 358-378, September.
    15. Maree Bernoth & Elaine Dietsch & Oliver Burmeister & Michael Schwartz, 2014. "Information Management in Aged Care: Cases of Confidentiality and Elder Abuse," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(3), pages 453-460, July.
    16. John, Deborah Roedder & Cole, Catherine A, 1986. "Age Differences in Information Processing: Understanding Deficits in Young and Elderly Consumers," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 13(3), pages 297-315, December.
    17. Brad Wright, 2015. "Voices of the Vulnerable: Community health centres and the promise and peril of consumer governance," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(1), pages 57-71, January.
    18. Harrington, Scott E & Niehaus, Greg, 1998. "Race, Redlining, and Automobile Insurance Prices," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 71(3), pages 439-469, July.
    19. Goodman, Steve & Remaud, Hervé, 2015. "Store choice: How understanding consumer choice of ‘where’ to shop may assist the small retailer," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 118-124.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Julia Rötzmeier-Keuper, 2020. "Consumer Vulnerability: Overview And Synthesis Of The Current State Of Knowledge And Future Service-Related Research Directions," Working Papers Dissertations 65, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    2. David Silvera & Tracy Meyer & Daniel Laufer, 2009. "Threat Perception in Older Customers," Working Papers 0066, College of Business, University of Texas at San Antonio.
    3. Luke Butcher & Ian Phau & Min Teah, 2016. "Brand prominence in luxury consumption: Will emotional value adjudicate our longing for status?," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 23(6), pages 701-715, November.
    4. Marijn Sax & Natali Helberger & Nadine Bol, 2018. "Health as a Means Towards Profitable Ends: mHealth Apps, User Autonomy, and Unfair Commercial Practices," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 103-134, June.
    5. Monica C. LaBarge & Martin Pyle, 2020. "Staying in “the works of living”: How older adults employ marketplace resources to age successfully," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 742-774, June.
    6. Corina MURAFA, 2022. "Energy poverty and the vulnerable energy consumer in Romania: A curious case of policy schizophrenia," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(4(633), W), pages 57-68, Winter.
    7. Lo, Ada & Qu, Hailin, 2015. "A theoretical model of the impact of a bundle of determinants on tourists’ visiting and shopping intentions: A case of mainland Chinese tourists," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 231-243.
    8. Zsótér, Boglárka & Nagy, Péter, 2012. "Our Everyday Emotions and Finances – The role money-related attitudes and materialistic orienta-tion play in developing financial culture," Public Finance Quarterly, Corvinus University of Budapest, vol. 57(3), pages 286-297.
    9. Bukola Mary Ibitoye & Bernie Garrett & Manon Ranger & Jennifer Stinson, 2023. "Conducting Patient-Oriented Research in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review," The Patient: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Springer;International Academy of Health Preference Research, vol. 16(1), pages 19-29, January.
    10. Lynn Gregory, 2014. "Fundraising and the Elderly: A Content Analysis," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 5-25, March.
    11. Giraud, Georges & Lebecque, Annick & Amblard, Corinne & Bord, Cecile & Sulmont-Rosse, Claire & Lefur, Yves, 2008. "Does Knowledge-Based Economy Speaks to Consumers? A French Case Study with Respect to Food Products," 110th Seminar, February 18-22, 2008, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 49848, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    12. James Angel & Douglas McCabe, 2015. "The Ethics of Payments: Paper, Plastic, or Bitcoin?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 132(3), pages 603-611, December.
    13. Iris Vermeir & Patrick Kenhove, 2008. "Gender Differences in Double Standards," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 81(2), pages 281-295, August.
    14. Lee, Jaeha & Park, Kwangsoo, 2024. "The effects of hedonic shopping values on loyalty towards small retailers: The moderating role of trust," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    15. NEWAJ Avinash & DAMAR-LADKOO Adjnu, 2016. "Distorted Facets Of Marketing Ethics For Alcoholic Beer Marketing," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 11(2), pages 79-96, August.
    16. Oscar A. Stolper & Andreas Walter, 2017. "Financial literacy, financial advice, and financial behavior," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 87(5), pages 581-643, July.
    17. Banerjee Shubhomoy & Shaikh Ateeque, 2020. "Examining the Impact of Contextual Factors in Brand Relationship Initiation and Maintenance: Evidence from Bottom of Pyramid Markets," Review of Marketing Science, De Gruyter, vol. 18(1), pages 75-97, September.
    18. Linlin Fan & Kathy Baylis & Craig Gundersen & Michele Ver Ploeg, 2018. "Does a nutritious diet cost more in food deserts?," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(5), pages 587-597, September.
    19. Sunwoo T. Lee & Kyoung Tae Kim, 2022. "A Decomposition Analysis of Racial/Ethnic Differences in Financial Knowledge and Overconfidence," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 43(4), pages 815-831, December.
    20. Ronald Paul Hill, 2020. "Freedom of the Will and Consumption Restrictions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(2), pages 311-324, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:30:y:2016:i:c:p:116-130. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-retailing-and-consumer-services .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.